Silas Braune, the usually composed butler of the York family, hurried inside with his phone, an uncharacteristic look of excitement on his face as he approached Titus. A few CEOs from the York family's business partners were there to fish for information about Landon. Their expressions shifted drastically upon hearing the news. They couldn't believe Landon had been located so quickly, especially given that the abductor's identity was still unknown. Exchanging knowing glances, they shared a common motive—to observe how the York family would handle the situation. If Landon was truly missing, they would have needed to consider adjusting their business terms with the Yorks. Naturally, they didn't dare to confront Titus directly, but they were prepared to pull some strings behind the scenes. This was why they came to York Residence to find out Landon's situation. However, their boldness now seemed ill-advised, and they regretted coming. They wondered if it was too late for them to
Another CEO quickly praised Lily. "Dude, do you know who you're talking to? That's no ordinary young lady. She is the remarkable Ms. Kent, the one who read the Furler family's fortune.""She's Ms. Kent?" Several CEOs looked excited upon hearing this."Honestly, I've always wanted to seek your help. It's just that the Furler family refused to reveal your identity. I'm lucky to have met you today. "My company needs some fortune-telling as well. I'm not like the others; I'm straightforward. I'll offer a million dollars to have my fortune read.""I'll give two million! Ms. Kent, could you prioritize mine? It's urgent."Surrounded by CEOs, Lily remained composed. She enjoyed being the center of attention, but she still remembered the lesson from the previous time.She had been too humble in the past. It didn't matter how exceptional her medical skills were. The sons and daughters from prestigious families hadn't viewed her as an equal. Aria, who had always seemed quiet and inferior
It was the first time Lily had heard that fortune-telling could affect one's destiny. She realized she needed to be cautious and learn more about it. When Titus saw Lily in the spotlight, a mix of emotions stirred within him. He had to admit he'd been somewhat prejudiced against her when she first sought him out. After all, the Southbury incident had indeed happened. The Gunther family, a clan of doctors, showed a callous disregard for human lives. Their practices were deplorable, treating patients with negligence and cruelty. Since Lily was a student of the Gunthers, Titus felt he had to remain guarded, especially given her prior attitude. Besides, if she could truly foresee the Furler family's fate, why hadn't she predicted the fall of the Gunther family?Questions about Lily lingered. Titus had only ordered someone to bring her back to York Residence because he was worried about Landon. Titus had approached the situation like a seasoned detective. The abductors were the mos
"Why would I need you to rescue me?" It was Landon who spoke. Dressed in his usual black suit, his long legs, slender waist, and pale skin, accentuated by the motorcycle helmet in his hand, made him appear even more striking. While they knew Landon would return eventually, no one expected him to be back so soon. The CEOs had intended to leave before Landon returned, but they lost track of time chatting with Lily about fortune-telling. Landon's gaze swept over them, calm and unreadable. It was clear he didn't want them to leave, as he blocked their path. With a raised eyebrow, Landon spoke coolly. "Silas, can just anyone walk into York Residence these days?""N-No, of course not," Silas stammered, stepping forward. Holding the helmet in one hand, Landon tilted his head slightly. "Then why am I hearing all this nonsense?"It was clear who he was talking about. The smug look had already disappeared from Lily's face. Landon hadn't paid her a bit of attention since he entered,
Lily went pale, unable to refute Aria's words. She never expected Aria to say this in front of everyone. Most people would have been too concerned about their image, but Aria was different. She didn't hesitate to expose something as humiliating as having her fiancé stolen!Seeing the CEOs glance her way, Lily thought she might still turn things around and clear her name.With a gentle and innocent tone, she explained, "My family made the decision. Aria, I'm sure you understand. The Kent family wouldn't allow me to go against them. I apologize for my actions. As long as you forgive me, I'll do whatever you ask."The more innocent she appeared, the more unforgiving and relentless Aria seemed in contrast. But Aria was no stranger to her pitiful acts.Aria responded calmly, "Are you saying your family taught you to steal someone's fiancé? If that's the case, they're quite skilled in educating you."Lily was stunned, while Landon couldn't help but smile slightly. Aria's sharp tongue wa
Titus added, "You must thank her, and so must I."The York family always taught their children to keep grievances and gratitude separated. Lily took advantage of this, sniffling as she said, "Mr. York Senior, it's alright. I understand Mr. York misunderstood me because of what happened back then. Now that he's safe, I should go back to care for Grandma."She made herself appear pitiable so that people would think the York family didn't appreciate her for saving Landon—and that even his fiancée was humiliating her.In Lily's position, anyone would feel wronged, and the CEOs thought the York family was being unreasonable.Before this incident, the CEOs regarded Aria as an effective leader for the Carver Group, even considering future partnerships. But now, they doubted she was truly behind its success. Aria was merely the acting CEO; Warren was the real mastermind.After all, it would be embarrassing if people knew that his granddaughter was an unsophisticated country bumpkin with l
Landon spoke indifferently, "Everyone, listen closely—especially you, Ms. Kent. First of all, I was never in a white car."A chill settled over the room. The CEOs exchanged puzzled glances, and Lily, who had been smiling, suddenly looked uneasy."Secondly, I wasn't initially in the northwest part of the city," Landon continued calmly.Upon hearing that, Lily murmured in disbelief. "Impossible! How could that be?"In her memory, the news had reported the car accident in the northwest part of the city.Landon said nonchalantly, "Didn't you know that, Ms. Kent? It appears your fortune-telling skills are quite sub-par."The CEOs cast uneasy glances at Lily, while Titus composed himself, deciding to hear Landon out.Lily took a step back, turning sharply to Silas. "He mentioned a truck loaded with oil tanks! That's true!"Landon chuckled, turning his cough into something that seemed mocking. "A truck and oil tanks? Trucks are common in the city's northwest, and many people sell oil
Lily decided it was time to leave after everything that had happened. She had no expectations from the York family, hoping they'd simply let her go. However, she'd underestimated Landon, the most ruthless figure in the business world.How could Janovin's most powerful man overlook someone trying to take advantage of him?That wasn't Landon’s style, especially since he despised blackmail. Moreover, the entire incident had been orchestrated to give Aria the chance to "save" him, providing him with a solid pretext to officially marry her. Yet Lily had taken this opportunity to try to con him.If Landon left things ambiguous today, rumors might spread that he owed his life to her—a notion he loathed.Before Lily could say more, Landon cut her off. "Ms. Kent, you can't provide a detailed explanation because you only guessed the location correctly. You failed to guess the other details."With that, Landon walked over to Aria and took her hand. "My fiancée was the one who saved me. She f
Landon looked out the window. "You'll be immune to ghosts once you see more of them. Have you ever seen a fortune teller dispelling a manifestation in the mountains? They were as afraid as you when they first started."With more experiences and encounters, they would come to realize that the world is a strange place—and eventually, they would get used to it."Aria thought the same way as Landon did. She didn't want Lettie to be trapped in self-doubt after the incident ended. Aria had encountered many patients who wrestled with the same question. "What kind of person would do such a thing? They were the ones in the wrong, not me. So why was I the one being scolded?"The world was unfair, and one had to understand this to retaliate against the unjust. Aria could have left the incident as it was, but she used this tactic to get Lettie to move on. When Lettie saw the first comment, her hand shook and she struggled to breathe. She trembled violently when she saw the photo. Some of th
Marrying into the Hendricks family would have been perfect. Too bad Paxton's hesitation led to this mess. Celestia would have to lay low for now. Social media reactions were just like Celestia expected. The online community jumped on the marketing accounts' narrative. "Exposé—The Truth Behind the Viral Story!" "We Worried for Nothing—She's Back with the Cheater!" "See? Why should we sympathize with housewives? Not only was she love-blind, but she also played the victim for attention and used us for views. She's running back to her husband's arms!" While the workers at the comment-farming company posted these messages, they had no idea that the cybercrime officers were at their door. There was no chance to escape at all; it was an immediate shutdown. They still could not figure out how their "secure" operation was exposed! Meanwhile, Celestia sat in her car as she scrolled through the comments. Delighted, her eyes lit up as she replied, "If you meet a cheater in real life, g
Cold sweat broke out on Paxton's back as realization hit. Percy was here. Judging from Aria's attitude now, could Percy be handling the divorce case? Panicking, his earlier confidence crumbled. Paxton hurried toward the parking garage. Daisy yelled at him from behind. She was crying so hard she lost a shoe. "Dad! Dad!" Paxton suddenly exploded and said, "Stop following me, you useless waste! You can't even repeat simple instructions! All that money on your education, and this is what I get? Where's your brain?" Daisy froze, her face draining of color. She had never seen her father like this. Though rarely home, he always brought her dolls and chocolates from abroad. Her classmates envied her, and Amara called her Daddy's princess. As she uncertainly reached for his shirt, he shoved her away. "Go find your grandmother! Idiot!" Daisy stood stunned. Paxton had not even noticed her scraped foot bleeding. Her eyes widened in recognition. This was just like how things were with Ama
"I... I..." Daisy faltered as she was unprepared for Aria's words. Paxton and Daisy had come hoping to manipulate Lettie as they always had. In marriages, visible violence might draw outside sympathy. But such psychological torture of exploiting Lettie's maternal love, pushing her boundaries, and destroying her self-worth was far more terrifying. As a doctor, Aria's expertise went beyond healing bodies. She specialized in psychology. Lettie's condition wasn't just trauma; it was long-term emotional abuse. Aria had seen Lettie's sleeping pills. With her pregnancy affecting hormones, they needed to address her emotional pain. If not, Aria worried Lettie might break. Aria touched her amethyst pendant. Sometimes, abandoning all illusions was the only way to start over. For mothers, children were their deepest attachment. It was better to see clearly now than suffer endless emotional manipulation. "I'm not going back with you two. I want a divorce, and I will get one." Lettie's ha
Indeed, Lettie hesitated. She looked at her daughter instinctively. After all, blood ties could not be easily broken. Paxton seized this moment to step forward and hug her. "Lettie, I knew you couldn't give up on our family. I've really learned my lesson. We'll move out and keep Mom from interfering. Please?" His movements were too quick for Lettie to react. Aria sat there with a smirk, her gaze drifting to the window. It was a great photo spot indeed. It would be a perfect picture of an adorable daughter, a caring husband, and a forgiving wife. This would become a narrative of quick reconciliation that would betray the public's support. Aria had even thought of headlines for Celestia's post. Too bad she hadn't come inside. If she had, seeing Aria's face might have shaken her confidence. Lettie didn't let Paxton's embrace last. Once she recovered, she shoved him away. Then, came the slap. "You're absolutely shameless!" Lettie could not believe his act, even now. Glancing a
As Amara stood there trembling, it drew stares from onlookers. She could not believe her son would speak to her this way. It was Paxton who had begged her to help, saying Celestia wanted to meet Daisy. He even asked her to arrange it so the girl would accept them when the divorce happened. That way, Don would not interfere too much. As a mother, how could she ignore her son's troubles? He had gone on about Celestia's background—how cultured she was and how her parents were prestigious lawyers in Ludwiten. Amara had been impressed. A simple housewife like Lettie could not possibly compare to a Ludwiten socialite. Through Amara's investigation, she found out that the Norwoods were renowned in legal circles. Daisy's grandfather was even a senior judge. That was the kind of woman worthy of her son. She had done everything to help him seize this opportunity, but how had she become the villain? Amara clenched her fists. She understood what Paxton meant now. He was making her the sc
"Now more people would hate mothers-in-laws like us." "My daughter says this isn't over. Just wait; she'll get what's coming to her." Amara had planned to go to the supermarket but ended up hiding at home, afraid to go downstairs. Don was still at the university studying his latest archaeological finds, unaware of everything. She trembled thinking about what he would do to her when he found out. Panicking, she grabbed her coat and followed them. "Paxton, let me come with you. I'll make sure you don't get taken advantage of." "Mom!" Paxton's tone became impatient. "Look how many people are outside waiting to mock us! If you come, our whole family will end up all over social media. I could take Daisy to the café unnoticed, but not you. People can't stand the sight of you right now." Amara gritted her teeth. "They can't stand me? These people have nothing better to do than meddle in our family affairs! What's wrong with our family not wanting Lettie anymore?" "Mom! How can you
Celestia still had no idea what awaited her. She had been a bully since middle school, and her family would always clean up her messes. To her, Lettie was just some washed-up housewife who couldn't possibly understand how to harness social media's power, unlike herself, since this was her bread and butter. She knew the online community craved plot twists upon plot twists. Before leaving the car, Celestia gripped her phone, nervous about all her hidden misdeeds. But if she could destroy Lettie's image, she could profit from this viral outrage. Paxton picked up Daisy, who couldn't stop crying. "Dad, is Mom really divorcing you? Everyone online is attacking me. They're saying I'm a terrible daughter and not worth keeping. Even my classmates are laughing at me. Dad, please make up with Mom!" Paxton massaged his throbbing temples. "Daisy, that's why I'm here to pick you up. You have to make up with your mother. To stop the online hate, you need to act in a way that makes your mother
Then, Celestia could immediately post a video claiming she never knew he was married when they met. That would be the best way to shift the narrative. Paxton thought about it and said, "Fine, I'll go sweet-talk her." They needed to reconcile, or the book "Voices" would no longer be his. He could lose his job, but not that book.Nobody in Farshya knew how much money it was making overseas. It had earned 50 million in annual royalties, and film studios were already showing interest. He would never give up this book! Paxton lowered his gaze. "I'll bring Daisy along. Lettie can't stand seeing our daughter suffer, so she'll back down for her sake." But this time, Paxton's calculations would surely prove wrong. Celestia stood up. "I'm coming too. I'll wait outside." She could not stay here anyway. Paxton frowned. "Don't let her see you." "I'm not stupid. I'll take photos of you two making up and post them online. That will make it credible." Celestia knew her game. "Remember, d